The relationship between Santiago and Manolin in "The Old Man And The Sea".

Ernest Hemingway, the Noble Laureate of 1954 in the field of literature, has made a significant contributions in the literary world through his multiple writings. His magnum opus, "The Old Man and the Sea" gave him the ultimate stature which he truly deserves. The author here discusses about various themes like the struggle of an individual, the role of natural forces in one's life, Biblical allegories and the human relationships and their interdependence on each other.

    In the very opening of the novel, Hemingway  represents the old man who is the protagonist of the play without giving  any particular name to him: "He was an old man who fished alone in a skiff in the Gulf Stream...." He is a fisherman but "he had gone eighty-four days without taking a fish." Our first impression of the main character of the novel is that he is a failure. In fact, most of the villagers do not regard him as a man. The old man's only strong connection with the village is a young boy, Manolin.

    Hemingway  pairs up youth and old age-- these two contrary extremes, the two extreme poles of man's life. Santiago, in some way is the reviews of Hemingway's own life. In reality, Hemingway does not have anyone who can understand him thoroughly. That's why he creates a character in his novella who plays the role of wishfulfilment. Hemingway here uses the "Myth of Yagati" where there was an exchange of youth and old age. In Santiago's mind, the presence of that young boy oye is the visual reminder of the lost youth of him.

     However the relationship between the old man and the young boy oye is dependent on admiration and pity. Manolin has belief in the old man. To most of the other fisherman, the old man is 'salao' which is a Portuguese slang for "very unlucky" or "cursed with bad luck". Interestingly since the boy manolin was reluctantly transferred to another boat. He was caught fish still he and the old man are joined by friendship and faith.

    The old fisherman and the boy value human relationships above materialism. The boy's father and many of the other fishermen put material considerations first; a man must catch fish, otherwise he has no money. manolin wants to accompany the old man again because he has done what his parents wanted him to do. He has "made some money". Now he wants to return to follow old Santiago. The relationship as many critics have suggested is very much like that between Christ and one of his disciples. Yet Hemingway is clearer than his symbol-oriented critics: "the old man and had taught the boy to fees and the boy loved him."

    Manolin's  love for Santiago is spontaneous and natural. Manolin is sensitive enough to realise that old man may be different but he is wiser and more humane than most of the other man. Santiago talks to Manolin as  he were an adult; he does not patronise the boy. And the boy also does not act like a boy, he is nowhere boyish, carefree and irresponsible. Manolin's care for Santiago is that of one human being for another human being. Ironically he is more of man-- in the humanistic sense-- than his father is. The old man also readily teaches him all the 'tricks' he has learnt about fishing. Most of all Santiago offers Manolin a philosophy about fishing and about life.

    In spite of a solitary life that Santiago has been living for years, he finds his only comfort in the company of the boy and surprisingly he is in him. To Santiago, Manolin is the imagenative construct to console himself. Santiago feels his strength enhance with the presence of the boy who has always supported him as he says again and again, "Iwish I had the boy to help me and to see this." Corbett says, "He  has developed a friendship a working relationship a love with the boy who begin fishing with him when the boy was only five."

    The image of "Last Supper"maybe well indicated here. Manolin plays the role of Jesus Christ who offers the old man food to rejuvenate and survive his life: "Come on and eat. You can't fish and not eat... keep the blanket around you. ...you'll not fish without eating while I am alive.." Manolin is a positive force in santiago's life who comes to revive his life. The boy also bring coffee and ointment for santiago's injury. He is the nurse guide and Angel to Santiago. Thus in manolin's  character there is a mingling of masculinity and femininity. In this novella, Manolin's  love for Santiago is the love of the disciple for his master and the love of a son to his adopted father and vice-versa.

    Thus the Santiago -Manolin relationship is a testament to Hemingway's skill of portraying independent relationships and their importance in life. Hemingway also shows the same ideal relationship through the bonding of Cantwell and his 18 years old female companion Reneta in "Across the River  and into the Trees".  This relationship is also parallel with Captain Ahab and Pip relationship in " Moby Dick". There is also a shadow of Lear and Tom Edgar bonding after his disillusionment.